Final Answer
by PikaNaNoDa
Summary: (This is the sequel to "I Hate Everything About You" and "Why Do I Love You".) Just because you think you killed them, doesn't mean they're dead. Yaoi. ItaSasu. KakaSasu.
1. Part One

WARNINGS, NOTES, AND STUFF: I finally got around to getting this done. Amazing, I know. There is a chance that this could turn into a KakaSasu, but the ItaSasu will have to be here too. Maybe….So, yeah, there might be yoai. If there's typos, I'm sorry.

Disclaimer: The same old stuff.

"Final Answer: Part One"

Yawn. _How boring. They follow the same routine day after day. _The figure sighed as he continued to watch the three ninjas 'train' with Kakashi. It seemed that the group had done too much of nothing the past few months. That in itself was odd. Another thing that would strike someone as strange is the fact that Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura were working on their skills with Kakashi. At least, that is what the general public was led to believe.

True, they were testing their abilities with Kakashi. They themselves were not sure why they were doing so, except that Hokage had ordered it. Little more than three months had passed since Sasuke had allegedly disposed of his older brother. To most that knowledge was a relief. To others… well, some people were still expecting Itachi to start causing some trouble; some just could not accept that he was dead.

Poor Sasuke. After burying his brother's body, with help from his friends and sensei, the dark-haired ninja became withdrawn. No one could figure out why Sasuke was depressed and distant. Only one man understood and he was not about to say anything. Kakashi. If only he knew how to pull Sasuke from the hole he was falling slowly into. The remaining member of the Uchiha Clan put on a smile of adopted his usual posture when he was around others. Only Kakashi seemed to notice the young ninja's attempts to hide. …And even Kakashi could not fully understand what was going through the boy's head.

Kakashi became the boy's shadow. While the group was exercising, when Sasuke walked home. No matter what Sasuke did out of his home, Kakashi would be there. Of course, the younger male took no notice of this. Kakashi could be discreet with questions, hiding what he was truly asking by masking it with simpler or more commonly asked questions. When he wanted, Kakashi could become invisible among the trees or the shadows, using them as aids to keep his presence unknown.

Finally, after hours of repeating attacks against one another for a good half-day, the four ninjas decided they had had enough for one day. Naruto and Sakura took off. Sasuke chose to linger behind for a few minutes. He simply stood, appearing to be lost in his thoughts and unconscious of his surroundings. This being the case, he did not catch the shadow that shot past him. Exiting his trance-like state, Sasuke began to gather his possessions.

Kakashi looked on from his perch-a nearby wall-as the blur sped past the unaware ninja and into the forest ahead. _So, I see you are still alive…just as I though._ He noted that Sasuke was ignorant to the speeding figure and the fact that said figure had been watching them all day. In fact, the aforementioned being had been watching them for weeks now. And though Kakashi had a pretty good idea as to the identity of this 'stalker', he told no one but Hokage-who gave him an earful that only confirmed his suspicions and worst fears for the young Uchiha.

Returning his focus to the task at hand, he leapt from his place of seating. Sasuke, hearing a light 'thump' as Kakashi's feet made contact with the ground, turned around. From instinct, or more precisely a mixture of paranoia and past experiences, his hand was reaching for the closes weapon it could find hidden on the ninja's body. Sasuke relaxed when he saw that it was only Kakashi.

"Ah, Kakashi-sensei, you frightened me." Sasuke stared up at his teacher, patiently waiting for his teacher to speak. He received no immediate response from the man. Kakashi had his head tilted just barely to the side. Looking closely, Sasuke could tell by the expression on Kakashi's face that the other ninja was thinking. They remained that way for some time-Kakashi thinking and Sasuke staring at his teacher patiently.

At long last the elder released a sigh. From what the boy could make of the other's expression, it seemed Kakashi was worried about something. "Mind if I walk you home?" Recieving a shrug in response, Kakashi motioned for the boy to lead the way. The man followed, remaining three steps behind Sasuke.

Neither spoke a word. Kakashi kept looking over his shoulder as if expecting someone to jump out at him. Sasuke was more than grateful for the company, though he tried his best to hide it. He began to wander through his thoughts, and because of such, nearly collided with his door. He blinked as he felt himself jolt, confused as to why he could walk no further. Glancing upwards, he saw Kakashi peering down at him. "Careful." Sasuke missed the warning. He was, instead, focusing on the reason for his near idleness: Kakashi had grabbed hold of the back of his shirt.

After fishing the key from his pocket, the young Uchiha sighed and turned to face his companion. He waited for Kakashi's gaze to fall upon his before he spoke. "Kakashi-sensei... you are welcome to come inside." Kakashi's mask shifted, allowing the younger ninja to catch the smile. In an attempt to hide his blush, Sasuke swiftly turned toward his door, nearly loosing his footing.

Once again the young Uchiha was in need of a little help, only this time his elder provided assistance in Sasuke locating his balance. An arm slide around the Uchiha's waist and pulled him upright, causing his blush to deepen. "Thank you," a soft voiced barely managed to utter as the boy moved away from Kakashi's grasp and quickly opened the door.

Sasuke entered and waited patiently for the other to do the same if he so desired. Kakashi strolled inside. As soon as the man was over the threshold and a safe enough distance away not to be hit with the door or Sasuke himself, Sasuke shut the door and turned the bottom lock. The Uchiha hoped that Kakashi had not noticed there being three locks on his door, two of which could only be locked or unlocked from the inside. Kakashi did not.

Sasuke turned around only to stare at the sight before him. Kakashi was bent over in his living room examining the flowers on the coffee table. That gave him a very nice view of Kakashi's backside. _Dammit. Why am I staring?...Well, it is nice to look at...but it's Kakashi-sensei._ Realizing that he was blushing again, he rushed in the direction of the kitchen, not failing to say, "I'll go make some tea." He did not make it far, however.

"Don't." The boy's mouth opened to protest, but he was not allowed time to speak. "I am leaving. There's no need." Sasuke nodded, figuring there would be no point in arguing. He was a bit disappointed, a fact that Kakashi seemed to notice. "Maybe next time you could give me a tour. Tonight I have something I must do." Sasuke nodded for the second time that night.

Kakashi let himself out the door, making no mention to the locks as he turned to wave goodbye. And then he was gone. Sasuke hurriedly turned all the locks and double-checked to make sure the door was secure. He leaned back against his door, his eyes scanning every inch of the place that was in his line of sight. He sighed. There was nothing to clean; the place was practically spotless. The only thing left for him to do was get ready for bed. A good night's sleep would do him some good.

Sasuke made his way across his living room and down the hallway that led to his room. He showered and put on his pajamas. Once those tasks were done, he moved about his room, gathering the items he would need for the next day. As soon as his clothes were laid out and his possessions in place, he turned off his light. The Uchiha slinked under his covers and settled down. Moments later he was lost in the bliss of slumber.

The only window in the room opened, and a cloaked figure slipped inside. The figure made its way to Sasuke's bed, standing over him, watching him sleep. _Ah. You look so peaceful, dear brother. I would so hate to disturb you. _A hand reached out. Fingers wrapped around the boys neck, holding in a firm grasp. Sasuke's eyes shot open. He tried to scream out but he could do nothing but stared up at his brother, completely horrified and trying to move his hand. The struggle continued for only seconds...and Itachi was gone.

Sasuke sat up in his bed, gasping for air, try desparately to fill his lungs. _Some dream..._ He looked around his room just to be sure. Nothing seemed to be wrong, out of place. Sighing, he laid back down. Soon, the sound of light breathing was all that could be heard. That and soft chuckling coming from outside.

t.b.c.

****

A/N: Yep. That was part one. Just two more to go and the whole thing will be finished....


	2. Part Two

Author's Rambling: Sorry 'bout the long wait. I've been lazy, tired, busy, or other wise preoccupied with other stories. Though, that's hardly an excuse for…what, almost a year? But this story's gone through a lot of changes in my head. It's going to be longer than I intended, and a lot more complicated for me. Hopefully, I can keep up with the whirlwind that is my brain. Though, I doubt it. . Enough rambling. On with the fic….

…On another note, this story has no particular time frame set. And it's alternate universe in a way with quite a bit of OOCness. There will be huge gaps in the time frame quite often without my mentioning it more than likely… This chapter itself takes place maybe a week or so from the last one.

Final Answer

By: PikaNaNoDa

.:.Part Two.:.

The jounin sat, patiently waiting for his superior to enter. He had been surprised to receive a summon so early in the morning; the sun was only now due to rise. He had showered quickly and dressed in a like hastened manner. Before he left, he made sure his mask was in place and his headband was pulled over his sharingen.

A door slid open and the soft sounds of light footsteps broke the silence. "Thank you for coming on such short notice, Kakashi." The jounin had risen and did not return to his seat until Tsunade had seated herself. "The matter I need to discuss with you is about a former student of yours by the name of Uchiha Sasuke." The nod she received was all the confirmation she needed; Kakashi had guessed the topic of the meeting. They had discussed Sasuke some three weeks earlier. The discussion had left him with many questions and this meeting only added to his earlier inquiries.

There was an understanding silence about the room until the man finally decided that he needed answers to at least some of his questions. "Why me? Why choose me to protect him?"

The Hokage brought her gaze to rest on the man's face. Before she spoke, her expression seemed to soften, something he did not see from her often. "Because he trust you. Whether it is because you simply earned it, his attraction to you, or both I cannot be sure. It could something entirely all together. But you're the one person he will listen to and confide in." She smiled at him, causing him to be slightly taken aback. "And you care about him as well." Tsunade's voice was not angry, suspicious, or even judgmental; she spoke with the simple clarity of well-known fact.

The jounin remained quiet for some time, his brow creased in deep contemplation as he mulled over the thoughts running through his mind. The Hokage sat quietly and waited for him to speak if he so wished to. "What do you think he will do if he gets hold of Sasuke?" Without mention of a specific name, the Hokage knew to whom Kakashi was referring.

Tsunade shook her head, her own thoughts sending her into a momentary silence. "I do not know. I had a run in with him just outside of town. I'm sure you have noticed that he is resting right outside our gates. Usually, I would have sent a few jounin to look into it, but I felt that I should take care of it. He made no mention of wanting to hurt anyone and the fact that he has been around here so long and not once entered the city has me worried." She took some time to catch her breath. "I want you to stay close to Sasuke. I do not want him to leave your sight. Also, I will have guards placed around the city to make sure that everyone gets inside some time before dark. It will not help if he wishes to hurt someone, but it will me feel more at ease."

The Hokage gave a small wave of her hand as she began thumbing through a stake of papers, the movement signaling that the jounin was being dismissed. "I will report to you within the week." He received a nod in acknowledgement to his words. Without anything farther, he left.

As usually, he walked through the door to an empty, too-quiet apartment. Sasuke went through the normal routine of leaving his shoes by the door and bolting the structure without seeming to be aware of his actions; they were like second nature to him now. The thoughts that he had been mulling over left him unaware of his surroundings. This being the case, he was startled to find his former teacher sitting on his couch, his gaze focused on a book. He dropped the key he had been in the process of shoving into his pocket, reached down to retrieve it, pocketed it, and looked up to find a single orb concentrated on him. "Uh," Sasuke began when he located his voice, "Kakashi-sensei, what are you doing here?" His voiced was a bit airy and his breathing was quickened. He had obviously been out training.

Kakashi threw up a hand in greeting, offering the young ninja one of his rare smiles that the other could barely make out behind the mask. "Orders from the Hokage." At the boy's questioning look, Kakashi motioned him to sit and began to explain the situation.

Sasuke seemed utterly shocked. "If he is so close, then how come I haven't felt anything?" Surely, if Itachi were anywhere near Konoha, he would know. He could usually catch the older Uchiha's aura when he was miles outward from the city gates. "I haven't felt anything from him."

"Nothing?" The boy shook his head. "Then maybe," Kakashi ventured, "he doesn't want you to know he's here. Most of the ninjas have been about to feel his presence. All except you." Kakashi leaned against the plush-ness of the sofa's back. "I just can't figure out why he'd hide from you."

The boy shrugged his shoulders, lost in thought once more; the jounin had given him plenty to think about. "Kakashi…" he spoke in whisper, "…There was something…a few weeks ago…" The jounin lifted a brow and nodded, beckoning the other to continue. "I thought it was just a dream but…"

Sasuke recalled the night where he had dreamt about Itachi coming into his room and strangling him to Kakashi. He had thought only a dream then, because when he woke and looked around, no one was there. "If he was here though, wouldn't someone had noticed?"

Kakashi did not respond at first as he pondered over the possible explanations. "It depends on how good he is at shielding his aura and what he does and does not want us to know about his reasons for being here." The explanation sounded good in his ears but not to his mind. He still could not grasp what was going on.

"In any event, Sasuke, you cannot be left here alone. You need someone to watch over you." The boy opened his mouth to protest, exclamations about how he could take care of himself dangling at the tip of his tongue. "I will be staying with you Sasuke. The choice is not yours. Hokage has given orders and this is how it is going to be."

Sasuke's anger was blooming inside, but he refused to let his expression betray him. He nodded and wandered off toward the kitchen. "I'm going to make lunch."

He made his way into the kitchen, waiting until he was out of the jounin's sight before his masked expression failed. _Who do they think they are making decisions about my life? _Though in all actuality he knew they were only concerned for him, but he felt he owed it to his pride to be upset and slam a few cabinet doors.

Sasuke slammed a pot of water onto the stove, the water sloshing about and some of the liquid escaping. He couldn't direct his anger at anyone nearby, so he felt that the kitchenware would have to suffice. _Just because Itachi decides to hang around, everyone wants to protect 'poor Sasuke' so he can restore the clan. _The ninja froze his movements, having thought Kakashi had spoken to him. "What!"

"I said…I hope you're okay in here." Kakashi said to a startled Sasuke as he appeared in the doorway. "Need some help?" the man questioned, chuckling softly as he slid passed the speechless Sasuke. He picked up a set of chopsticks from the counter and began to stir the noodles in the pot.

"N-no. I have it." The words were a bit late, Sasuke realized when a bowl of hot ramen was thrust into his hand. "Thanks." he uttered, Kakashi halfway out the door. As he made his way out of the kitchen, his mind returned to earlier thoughts. _Did it ever occur to them that maybe I don't want to restore the clan?_

Sasuke sat down across from his elder at the small wooden table. He began to eat quietly with his head down, his lips curving downward in pout. Kakashi watched him, not saying a word. He could only guess the things going through Sasuke's mind and there was nothing he could say the young ninja that would make his pain go away.

.:.End Part Two.:.

Author's Rambling: I had meant for this chapter to be a little longer, but it's four in the morning and I am in need of sleep. Obviously, this chapter has not been proofread/edited yet; so if they're mistakes, I apologize. Hopefully, if all goes as planned I should have another chapter up real soon.


	3. Part Three

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AUTHOR'S RAMBLING:  
This chapter took longer than I had planned, which isn't unusual or anything. I apologize again for the wait. (Wonder how long it will take for you to get tired of that one.) My laptop was broken, so I nearly had a decent excuse.

I know my head's a mess. If it wasn't, I wouldn't be writing this. (Is my rambling bothering you yet? Oops. Sorry, I like to ramble. Lets me know that at least my computer screen is listening. O.o..

I don't usually proofread my own stuff that well, so expect typos and whatnot.

Anyways, I owe a big 'thank you' to those who reviewed the last two chapters and this list is as follows:

Kay, Cherrii, Kina-chan, Raphael, blisblop, azn-hiwatari, sodesne, Fantastical Queen Ebony Black, YoungSasuke, and Zeilya

(If I forgot anyone, I apologize.)

This chapter's pretty crappy, too. I apologize for that.

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Final Answer

.:.Part Three.:.

The boy released a heavy sigh as he made his way to his door. He had spent the last week and a half closed up within his apartment walls with Kakashi. The two had spent the duration of their time together in companionable silence for the most part. Kakashi barely let the boy out of his sight and Sasuke tried to pretend that he was not staring at his former sensei from the corner of his eye.

This morning, however, Kakashi had a meeting with the Hokage, which made both ninjas incredibly grateful--Kakashi because if he were gone, Sasuke could not stare at him (It made him uneasy, though he would never admit it.); Sasuke because with Kakashi gone, he might finally get a chance to sneak out for a while. That very thought lingered in the boy's mind as he exited his apartment and turned to lock the door.

The mechanism clicked, telling Sasuke the door was locked. Satisfied, the young ninja shoved the key with all its various ornaments into his pocket. He turned, time not allowing either of his feet to take a step before he collided with something that possessed more resistance than his body held. The impact caused Sasuke to lose his balance and tumble backward. His back made contact with what he could only assume to be his door, which seemed to be the only thing willing to support him as his legs gave out. Body sliding down the wooden, frame, Sasuke's eyes wandered about to see what, or who, he had run into.

Sasuke's gaze scanned over blue-clad legs and stopped briefly, just long enough, to decipher a slight bulge that told him that whoever it was, that person was obviously male. Black orbs rose a little higher to examine a well-toned torso, and, finally, settled upon the faint outline of a smile behind a mask that covered an otherwise all-too-familiar face. "Kakashi-sensei…" That was the last person he had expected to see. _Wasn't he supposed to be meeting with Hokage?_

An arm was outstretched in offering for the boy to take and Sasuke, thankful to have it, accepted the help. Though he somehow managed to contort his features in annoyance. Using both his strength and what little power the boy's legs could provide, Kakashi helped Sasuke pull himself up and stand. The same arm used to assist the boy to his feet wrapped around Sasuke's waist. The jounin held onto the younger male until he was certain the young ninja could stay balanced on his own. This seemed to be happening to him a lot lately and Sasuke could not figure out why.

After relinquishing his hold on the Uchiha, the jounin took a few steps back to give Sasuke a little room. The elder's shift in position revealed to Sasuke that Kakashi did not return alone. An unruly mass of spiky blonde hair that was pointed in any and all directions poked out from behind the jounin. If one were to look a little lower, they would come across a set of shocking blue eyes. _Oh god._

"Hey Sasuke." the blonde greeted his rival/friend with and enormous grin plastered upon his face. "Haven't seen you around much lately." Sasuke started to state that it probably neither Naruto or Sakura minded seeing as the blonde had a crush on her and time alone would not hurt Naruto's chances. The dark-haired boy settled, instead, for a nod to his friend before returning his attention to Kakashi.

Sasuke was waiting for Kakashi to chasten him for not doing as he was told, but after a few moments of silent staring, he decided to ask the first thing that came to mind. "Is something wrong? You were supposed to be meeting with Hokage…." Since the jounin was back so soon, Sasuke reasoned in his mind that Kakashi did not make it further than a dozen or so meters from his apartment before turning back.

Kakashi's head fell just slightly to the side and he gave the other nothing but silence in reply. This annoyed Sasuke and he was just about to say so when Naruto cut in. "I was talking with Hokage earlier and she told me to tell Kakashi that she had something to do and that she'd talk with him later." Sasuke wondered what could be so important that Naruto would need to speak with the Hokage. He had been about to ask when the blonde cut him off once more. "Can we go inside and eat. I'm starved. I was thinking we could have ramen. You have ramen, right?" _Trust Naruto to only have food on his mind._

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Kakashi had just left Sasuke's place when the blonde literally ran into him, sending the sprinting boy and the jounin stumbling. Luckily for them, neither fell. "Ah! Kakashi-sensei! Gomen!" The boy had quickly composed himself and was smiling up at his elder. "I was looking for you. Hokage said she had something to take care of and that she would speak with you at a later time."

The message satisfied the jounin, though he was disappointed about having to go back to the apartment. Kakashi started to make his way back, the blonde following close behind, but stopped when he saw the dark-haired youth he was supposed to be protecting exiting his apartment. Apparently, Sasuke had no respect for his elder's commands. He had specifically told the boy to stay inside while he was gone---even though that was all Sasuke had been doing thing when Kakashi was there…but that was beside the point.

Kakashi began forward once more, silently this time, and motioned for Naruto not to make any noise. They were going to sneak up on the unsuspecting boy. Sasuke ended up turning and bumping into Kakashi and the jounin helped him up. ""Is something wrong? You were supposed to meeting with Hokage…." Those were the words from the boy's lips and Kakashi found amusement in the thoughts he could clearly see floating through the boy's eyes. He said nothing, instead letting Naruto deliver and explanation, which ended with the blonde asking for food.

Now the three ninjas were seated in the small dining section of Sasuke's kitchen, each with an empty bowl of ramen---Naruto with four. "That was great!" Kakashi's gaze moved to the blonde at the outburst. Naruto was leaning back in his chair, hands rubbing his stomach. "Well," the blue-eyed ninja began, "I'm full for now." Kakashi shook his head as he watched the blonde rise and stretch. "I'm gonna wash the dishes." The jounin watched with a half-smile as the boy collected the six bowls, the glasses, the spoons, and the chopsticks from the table and made his way to the other side of the kitchen.

Once Naruto was no longer within his sights, the jounin diverted his gaze to an overly-quiet Sasuke. "Is something wrong?" Kakashi only received a shake of the head in response. The man was tempted to pry for a more elaborate answer but decided against it. '_He'll speak up when he's ready,' _the jounin thought to himself and rose, his eyes never leaving the Uchiha's face. Sasuke probably had a lot on his mind, Kakashi guessed; he was right. The jounin turned, having every intention of going to the living room to rest on the couch with one of his favorite books, when Sasuke's voice halted his actions. "Kakashi-sensei… Why do you think Itachi's lying low? It's like he's going out of his way to not stir up trouble. It seems so unlike him."

Once Naruto was no longer within his sights, the jounin diverted his gaze to an overly-quiet Sasuke. "Is something wrong?" Kakashi only received a shake of the head in response. The man was tempted to pry for a more elaborate answer but decided against it. 'the jounin thought to himself and rose, his eyes never leaving the Uchiha's face. Sasuke probably had a lot on his mind, Kakashi guessed; he was right. The jounin turned, having every intention of going to the living room to rest on the couch with one of his favorite books, when Sasuke's voice halted his actions. "Kakashi-sensei… Why do you think Itachi's lying low? It's like he's going out of his way to not stir up trouble. It seems so unlike him." 

The youth's gaze was focused on the tabletop as Kakashi stared at him and tried to establish some response for the question. He found none. "I don't know, Sasuke. I don't know." Kakashi went back to his previous task, going into the living room and settling onto the sofa to read. Sasuke followed, seating himself on a nearby chair and staring, unfocused, at the far wall.

------

When Naruto had finished the dishes, with much difficulty and lots of water sloshing about, he went into the living room. The blonde lowered himself into a sitting position on the floor. He sat quietly, observing the others' somber expressions. The silence was worse than usual and that fact bothered Naruto more than anything. He felt like there was something he was missing. He just could not come up with any explanation as to what it was.

After mulling over what all could render his fellow ninjas to such a tense state of quietness, Naruto made a few failed attempts at conversation. Neither of the other two seemed to notice he was even present anymore. Sasuke was obviously too preoccupied with thoughts and Kakashi was watching Sasuke from behind his book.

The blonde sighed as he stood. He wiped the imaginary dirt from his damp clothing before heading to the door. He paused in the doorway to look back at the ninjas in the apartment. Neither one noticed him leaving.

.:.End Part Three.:.

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AUTHOR'S RAMBLING:  
I know there was no Itachi in this chapter, but he'll definitely be in the next one. I can say this for sure 'cause I've already started the next chapter. Yay for me. Criticisms and whatnot are very welcome.


	4. Part Four

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AUTHOR'S RAMBLING:  
I don't think this chapter…this story in general…makes much sense. But I'm going to finish it regardless, which makes that whole statement pointless. .

AUTHOR'S RAMBLING:I don't think this chapter…this story in general…makes much sense. But I'm going to finish it regardless, which makes that whole statement pointless. . 

This chapter, like the others, hasn't been proofed. I was just in hurry to post it and didn't feel like waiting. Hopefully, I'll get around to that sometime soon, or at least find a beta for my fanfics.

And yay for me. I updated quicker this time. O.o

…So……Right…the story.  
**------**

Final Answer  
**.:.Part Four.:.**

Naruto closed the door behind him as he left the house. After leaving Sasuke and Kakashi to their thoughts, the boy had went to pay his favorite female a visit. It should not have been a secret to anyone that the blonde was harboring feelings for a certain pink-haired ninja. When last Naruto had seen her, Sakura was set with a cold and was instructed to stay inside and rest for a few days. That being the case, a short visit was in order.

When he had arrived, he could hear voices through the door. From the sounds of things, Sakura had a few guests and they were enjoying each other's company; he could tell from the laughter that broke out as he knocked on the door. Waiting patiently with his best smile in place, Naruto was prepared to greet his former teammate. What he did not expect was for Lee to open the door. "Ah, Naruto-kun." The dark-headed boy stepped aside to let the other in.

Sakura was lounging on the couch, stretched across its length with a blanket thrown partially about her form. She smiled at him as he entered, but he did not pay much attention to the action as his eyes found the other blonde in the room. Ino offered him a small wave as he made his wave to the only available chair in the room. Naruto was set to remove himself from the piece of furniture when Lee made his way over to them, assuming that Lee had been sitting there previously. Naruto did not have time to stand, however, before Lee moved over the couch on which Sakura had been lying on.

The girl lifted her legs and the green-clad ninja sat down, her legs falling across his lap. The raven-haired boy dropped an arm atop Sakura's legs, his other hand--the one closest to her--reached out to stroke her cheek affectionately, gaining a smile from her. She lifted her own hand to meet his and twined their fingers together. It was cute. Even Ino was smiling at the display. Naruto forced his lips to sculpt themselves into a grin, the same grin he would offer on any other day.

He could not say that he was surprised. Naruto had known for some time that the two cared for each other, even if he did not want to admit it. The fact that now they seemed to be together, as that was the only conclusion his mind could seem to conjure up, he had to tell himself that it did not hurt, that it did not even sting a little bit. Needless to say, it almost worked. The blond shrugged it off, promising himself to stop for ramen on the way home.

------

The visit was not long. Naruto asked how she was doing and the four ninjas sat around talking about some insignificant event or that. _'Even if all of it was pointless, it is nice having friends…'_ Naruto's thoughts had strayed from the meal he had just enjoyed to how he felt now that he was not completely alone as he made his way toward his apartment. The blonde had enjoyed another large bowl of ramen and was feeling quite better. It was funny how food lifted his spirits.

Whistling to himself, the blonde turned his gaze toward the darkened sky, stars thrown about, giving the darkness above just a hint of light. _'There is no moon out tonight.'_ For some reason Naruto could not explain, the lack of moonlight saddened him a bit. There was something comforting about it. It was one of those things he chose not to dwell on.

Naruto was so lost in his thoughts that he barely noticed the figure trailing behind him on the roofs of the buildings the blonde passed by. After some time, when he was halfway home, Naruto had caught movement from the corner of his eye. He stopped, looking around when it seemed whoever it was had gone. The blonde sighed, mentally scolding himself for not having noticed sooner. When he turned to continue on his way, Naruto stopped again. There was a figure standing nearby, staring at him. The person, whoever they were, reminded him oddly of Sasuke.

The man--well, Naruto assumed it was a man--sported an outfit similar to what Sasuke had worn for years. In fact, as the other turned around, the blonde was sure it was his 'friend and rival' but something was different. The other was taller, his hair was pulled back into a ponytail. This being was more reserved and his eyes, eyes much like Sasuke's when using Sharingen, were blank. It was not the type of emotionless gaze you would get from the young Uchiha, whom was trying to hide his emotions. It was more like…this man had no feelings at all. His eyes were nothing more than spheres of emotionless depths. One could only guess they never ended; it was as if they were staring right through the blonde, reading his very soul. Naruto was more than thoroughly unnerved, not that it showed.

It did not take the blonde long to recall the name of the man. "Uchiha Itachi." The name sounded as if it was spat rather than simply spoken and the man merely laughed. The sound sent shivers down the youth's spine. The laugh was sharp and anything but amused. If it had not stopped when it did, Naruto was sure he would have visibly cringed.

Itachi took a few steps toward the younger male, watching with shielded amusement as Naruto took the same number of steps back. "Are you afraid of me, little Naruto?" There was something in Itachi's voice, something the blonde could not remember hearing before. A small undercurrent of amusement laced the usually cold monotone of the Uchiha. If Naruto was unnerved before, it was nothing compared to the uneasiness that was starting to build up in the pit of his stomach. "Fancy running into you at this time. Surely you should be safely tucked away in bed?" The blonde found Itachi standing right before him quicker than the time it took to blink.

Naruto felt cool flesh wrap around the back of his neck. He did not even have time to flinch or scream out before he fell unconscious. Itachi scooped the boy into his arms and carried the blonde off, going back the same way he had gotten there--atop the buildings.

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It had been some time before either Sasuke or Kakashi had broken from their trance. Sasuke was the first to find his way back to reality. Finding Naruto gone and that nothing around the house needed immediate attention, he made his way to his room with not so much as a goodnight to the other person in the room, who might not have heard him anyway. Sasuke took a quick shower and pulled on a pair of black boxers to sleep in. Feeling that was not enough, he added a white t-shirt to his form.

Sasuke crawled beneath the covers, instantly curling into a near-fetal position. It did not take long for sleep to claim him. That was how Kakashi found the boy: wrapped tightly within his sheets, breathing slow and even as he slept. The elder had actually dozed off after Naruto had left and had just woken while Sasuke was showering.

A small smile crossed the jounin's face as he turned from the doorway. He wandered down the hall, in search of his own shower and nightclothes. He was not as quick as Sasuke had been with the task of showering. He chose to linger a bit, wanting to enjoy the comfort the warm water brought a little longer than was necessary. Kakashi released a soft sigh as he shut off the water. He quickly pulled on his nightclothes, which consisted of a pair of navy, flannel-like pants and a thin, black cotton shirt.

Before heading back to his room, the jounin remembered to make a detour to the living room to retrieve the book he had left there. He grabbed the item and headed back toward the room he was occupying for the night--usually he might have just slept on the couch or not slept at all.

Kakashi settled down in the bed. He opened the book to the last page he had read with every intention of picking up where he left off. A few minutes and two pages later, the jounin's thoughts strayed to the sleeping boy a two doors down the hall. Kakashi had been 'guarding' the young ninja for some time now and nothing of much interest had happened. This was all very confusing to him. Kakashi was not a fool. He was well aware that the Hokage knew more about the situation than she was letting on. But who was he to go against orders, right? As far as he was concerned, the questions could wait until later if they did not answer themselves.

After a good eleven minutes of staring at the same word on the page, the man decided that he was not going to get much read if he was thinking about Sasuke. He figured if he was going to think about the boy, he could do so until he fell asleep. Reaching out, Kakashi set the book atop the nightstand near the bed and shut off the lamp. The man shifted beneath coverings to get comfortable and before he knew it, he was a sleep.

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Lids fluttered as a set of azure orbs opened. Confused and still half-asleep, Naruto looked around, taking in his surroundings. All he could decipher was that he was in a forest. He was wrapped tightly within a cocoon of thick quilts, his legs bound together at the ankles and his hands tied to his chest. The blonde would normally have moved to free himself, but this time he did not. He felt drained; it was as if someone had sucked all the energy from his body. In addition to his lack of energy, Naruto was in pain. His whole body ached.

"Ah, I see you are awake. I do hope our moving about is not the cause. I would hate to think that we woke you when we were trying so hard to be as silent as possible."

Naruto was startled by the sudden outburst. He had heard nothing until that voice. That cold monotone did not hold any emotion--not even the trace of amusement from before. That voice made him shiver. The blonde quickly turned his head toward the voice. He winced, fore the small movement caused a jolt of pain. Not too far from Naruto, Itachi and another man--if one would call such a creature a man--were standing. It looked to blonde as if they had been sparring. It was hard to tell; neither of them looked to be short of breath. There was not even a sheen of sweat to prove the theory.

As Itachi began to walk toward the boy with his companion following closely behind, panic began to set in. Naruto began to struggle with the bonds with what little strength he could muster. Itachi watched, his face expressionless. The Uchiha's companion knelt beside the blonde, his expression much like Itachi's.

The two waited patiently for Naruto to still. The youth was out of breath and it wall he could do to keep his eyes open. He did take a moment to study the man kneeling beside him. The man's skin was discolored-a light turquoise hue from what Naruto could see. Another few seconds of observation left the blonde's brow creasing. _Are those….? ….Yep. Those are gills._ The blonde had to laugh, despite the situation. The man-whom he would later find to be named Kisame-reached out a hand toward him.

Naruto's muscles tensed instinctively and he had to bite down on his tongue to keep from screaming out as the urge to do so arose. He did not even notice that he had begun to tremble. The shaking was sudden and he did not have time to process it. A groan escaped Naruto's lips. A sharp pain shot through the entirety of his form as Kisame removed him from the blankets and cut the bonds from his ankles and arms. He wanted to scream. Every fiber of Naruto's being called for him to yell in pain. If not for the tightening of his throat, he would have.

The pain was intense. It felt as if a pair of hands were wrapping themselves around his organs and poking at them, squeezing them. Naruto was on the outskirts of consciousness. His eyes widened for just a second as the pain reached its worst. Just as quickly as it started, the pain ceased.

A pair of arms that had wound themselves tightly around the blonde's midsection loosened their hold. Naruto pulled himself to a sitting position. The boy raked a hand through messy yellow strands, rising to a stand almost mechanically. After using his hands to dust at his clothes, the blonde turned his azure gaze to Itachi. The pupil seemed to have been sucked in by he liquid blue of hi s eyes; it no longer existed. The matching set of orbs regarded the Uchiha with bored nothingness. The stare was returned by the elder. In fact, if one did not know any better they would be certain the gazes were the same in every respect but color.

By this time Kisame had risen and was now resting against a nearby tree. His gaze remained on the others, though his gaze hardly left his partner for long. He seemed to always be watching the dark-haired man, even if unnoticeably from the corner of his eye. Kisame observed how the two watched one another, neither moving except to cross their arms over their chests. Naruto had the same look and air about him that surrounded Itachi constantly. He felt as if Itachi had been separated into two bodies, only one being his own. Kisame watched on in silence as the two began to converse. Neither said very much.

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Sasuke was sweating profusely. The expression on his face was one of emotional anguish. A shadow fell over the sleeping boy as the man knelt at his bedside. Pale digits shuffled damp strands of ebony from the boy's forehead. Itachi's lips twitched. It was almost a smile, but just barely. There were images that floated through the man's mind. He was seeing everything that Sasuke was dreaming. In fact, he was the one triggering the memories. Some were good memories, things Sasuke wanted to remember, things he wanted to return to, a life he wanted to return to. Some were really just nightmares, things Sasuke had blocked out and locked away. Others were just confusing.

Itachi had been staring at the boy for a while, watching the various emotions that flitted through the other's expression. He remembered Kisame telling him countless times that he could go about his plan in a simpler way, but Itachi was not satisfied with the idea. He wanted the boy to relive his entire life. He wanted Sasuke to feel the happiness he retained in childhood years only to shift into the pain he would feel later. Most of all, Itachi wanted the boy to feel the torment that only came with certain pleasures of life or the need to escape loneliness. Those were the kinds of thoughts that did nothing but confuse the boy.

The man leaned forward, his lips making brief contact with Sasuke's forehead. Itachi stood, taking but a few more moments to watch his brother. "Sweet dreams, Sasuke." With a whisper, he was gone.**.:.End Part Four.:.**

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AUTHOR'S RAMBLING:

I realized I said 'house' a lot when Sasuke should be in an apartment. At least, I think it was an apartment in earlier chapters. Forgive that. I live in an apartment and often refer to it as 'house'. It's a habit. It'll probably never change.

This chapter took longer than I expected. It's a lengthier than the other chapters, which was my goal (2200 words instead of the usual 1500 that I somehow manage to never make or just barely go over). In fact I went over my goal. Even better. I'm getting use to writing longer chapters. Hopefully the lengths will continue to increase. Though, I expect I'll throw some really short chapters in when I just really want to work on the story and don't have many ideas. Depends on how long I decide to make this story.

In the next chapter, I think I have got to mess with Sasuke.  
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